234 nm!

Thanks. Unless the E-2 radar as over the horizon capability, it seems reasonable to assume the aircraft is capable of higher altitudes than 37,000 ft.

Remember back in 2000 there was an incident involving a pair of Russian Fencer and Flanker overflying USS Kitty Hawk unintercepted? Well according to what I read on this forum, there was a 45 minute warning before the flyby. So you figure it must have been detected at least 600km out assuming the Russians were approaching at rather leisurely speeds.

How far away is the horizon at 37,000 feet?

I think PAF is making the right decision. They simply can’t afford to carry on the airpower arms race with India. To do that would require buying expensive Eurocanards when the main threat to Pakistan these days is internal instability brought on by poverty and economic stagnation. The money would be better spent on internal investment.

Pakistan’s deterrent formula has changed since becoming a nuclear power. The threat of outright conquest by India has pretty much evaporated. The value of the airforce to national survival has therefore reduced. Pakistan can afford to have a less capable airforce without jeopardizing its national security. Of course its ability to carry out offensive conventional war against India has deteriorated and the trend will continue.

The FC-1 is the same size as the Gripen. I don’t know if it’ll be a “classic” but it along with the J-10 will probably be in production until 2050 given the history of past Chinese fighter projects.

I don’t know where Strategypage get its sources from, but it reads suspeciously like a tabloid story.

The only thing resembling what they’re talking about is the recent AEGIS fiasco. JMSDF sailors accidently transfered classified information through porn sharing. This was especially alarming because one of the guys involved had a Chinese wife. To my knowlege no one has said this was a Chinese intelligence op and no one is saying that classified information was compromised.

I think you mean that as usual the anti-gun lobby have their heads up their backsides in an emotionally charged and irrational rant.:mad:

As has already been shown, the illegality of guns does not reduce their availability and it does not reduce the capacity of civilians to kill on a massive scale if they so desire. Oklahoma has already been mentioned- does 7/7 ring any bells?:rolleyes:

After the Oklahoma City bombing, new regulations were put in place to restrict the sale of explosive materials. Why didn’t the NRA come out to stop that? Surely if arming the citizentry against an oppressive government is the goal, explosives are at least as important as handguns – which are pretty useless weapons for fighting tyranny. Defending handgun ownership with that line of argument is pretty weak.

I don’t think it’s realistic to ban firearms in America. But handgun ownership needs to be much more carefully vetted. I think their ownership should be subject to the same screening process as owning fully automatic assault rifles today. Both are weapons of choice among spree killers. But you don’t see spree killing with automatic rifles these days because we have taken steps to limit their ownership.

Only people with a track record of responsible gun ownership or special need should have handguns. Certainly a 23 year old college student who lives on campus should not.

Sandy,
Yes they copied a 707 but it just never managed to get airborne:eek:

The Shanghai Y-10 made over a hundred flights. It was cancelled because Boeing jets were almost as cheap and had the track record the Chinese airlines wanted.

I cant see this having a major effect on either Boeing or Airbus, , who would buy the aircraft for starters? it might be cheap , but what about quality?
You dont have to look far to see that most major airlines look towards western manufactured aircraft , didnt the Russian construct the TU204 , to take on the B757 and look how many of these are in service for a western airline
But I do see the Chineses Authorities forcing their Airlines to use this aircraft, and ditching western airliners

Don’t be rediculous. Boeing and now Airbus all source aircraft parts from China. The new Chinese jet will also use American avionics. Aircraft manufacturing is a globalized affair.

China will need to buy 3,500 airliners in the next 8 years. Boeing and Airbus will be taking all the orders they can handle. China’s domestic aviation industry will also be getting in the gold rush.